Our society has blatantly illogical double standards when it comes to gender roles, from the family to the workplace and everything in between. These paradoxes affect our relationships, how we see others, and even our futures. They are present in every aspect of life.
For many of these standards, we may not even stop to think about how ridiculous they are until we experience them firsthand or a close friend or family member mentions how ludicrous something is.
These standards, shared by people online, are some of the most bizarre double standards still in existence today. Despite the shifts in societal values, some of these seem to be harder to shake than others.
1. Parenting Responsibilities
Just like charity, some of the most glaring double standards begin at home. In many cultures, mothers are often seen as the primary caregivers, while fathers caring for their children is called “babysitting.”
Fatherhood is viewed as secondary, often leading to disparities in expectations and support. This has led to the idea of the “default parent,” where most of the burden of parenting is silently put on one parent’s shoulder (most often the mom).
2. Parenting vs Career
A father involved in his children’s lives is commended and praised as if he’s sacrificing a lot by trying to strike a balance between job and family. A mother is often pushed to higher standards of caring and condemned for favoring profession over family—and ironically, vice versa (moms are often shamed for staying home too).
With some of these standards, it can feel impossible to win no matter what choice is made.
3. Showing Emotions
A woman being emotional is accepted as normal, while a man showing emotion is discouraged and viewed as not masculine enough. Society tells men not to cry, but women who don’t show much emotion are cold-hearted.
Thankfully, this narrative is slowly changing as self-expression and vulnerability become normalized.
4. Displaying Anger Publicly
When it comes to emotions, men’s expressing anger seems justified and reasonable. On the other hand, women who express anger in public are criticized for being overly emotional and unreasonable. Women of certain races are judged more harshly for displaying anger.
However, these days, anyone causing a scene- man or woman- will likely be filmed and ridiculed on social media channels as a “Karen.”
5. Owning a Car
Regardless of gender, a few double standards exist around money, too.
In today’s world, owning a car is more of a necessity than a luxury, but some people choose not to own one anyway. If a wealthy person doesn’t own a car, he’s celebrated as humble and sophisticated. A person who’s clearly not wealthy and does not own a vehicle is sometimes judged as cheap.
6. Wearing Ripped Clothes
Fashion keeps going in circles, and ripped clothes are now on sale with ridiculously high price tags (ripped jeans, anyone?). However, wearing torn clothes because you’re poor and can’t afford new ones is looked down upon, and you may be called trashy or worse.
7. Dating Older People
Older women dating younger men is considered one of the scandals of the modern dating scene; it’s the stuff that makes tabloid headlines. On the other end of the pendulum are older males dating younger women, which is frequently accepted as normal, even expected.
8. Parental Leave
In another parenting confusion, women are expected to take maternity leave without inquiry. Men, on the other hand, experience stigma or negative consequences for taking paternity leave. It looks like they don’t need this, but the women do. This downplays the importance of parental bonding and offers much-needed help for moms recovering from birth.
9. Promiscuity Meter
You must have heard it said that men are naturally polygamous, excusing and possibly praising men who have multiple partners. It’s unheard of and scandalous for a woman to have several sexual partners.
10. Personal Grooming
A man not keen on personal grooming is lauded for being masculine and “rough on the edges.” Some people even prefer the unkempt, unshaven look in men. Compared to males, women are often pressured to invest more time and money on grooming and dressing to impress.
11. Make-up
Women seem to lose the battle regarding their general appearance, and the decision to wear makeup is divisive. If you choose to wear makeup, you’re branded fake if it’s “too much,” while keeping a naked face means you’re too plain.
12. Living on a Farm
Whether you’re a man or woman, living far from the city on a small (or large) farm, working and feeding chickens and horses doesn’t look cool unless you’re rich. The rich living on a farm are considered classy and exotic.
Beautiful boho women in white cotton dresses symbolize modern-day homesteading, which is ridiculous in its own right.
13. Living in Your Car
How society views living in your car purely depends on whether you’re rich or poor. The rich living in their car is considered cool and unconventional, while a poor person living in their vehicle is desperate and tacky. These days, a mix of both live in their vans “down by the river.”
If you’re a woman living in your van, you must be particularly crazy.
14. Religious Garments
When people from particular religious groups wear traditional clothing, such as turbans or hijabs, they might face violence or discrimination, particularly women. Ironically, comparable clothing is frequently hailed as fashionable or unusual when worn by people not affiliated with these religions for cultural or fashion purposes.
15. Gender Wage Gap
The world has seen some of the worst wage double standards, as men are paid more for no justifiable reason. Research shows that, on average, women are still paid 16% less than males, even when the men aren’t necessarily doing more or heavier work.
These persistent contradictions demonstrate how prejudiced our society can be, even in the face of efforts to foster equity. They remind us that true equality is still a work in progress,
recognizing and addressing personal biases is a crucial step toward achieving true equality.
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I’m a Language and Literary Studies (Honors) graduate with 11 years of experience in magazine and blog writing and content creation. I’m passionate about storytelling for change and believe in the power of words to make a difference. My writing is thought-provoking, accessible, and engaging, focusing on the Psychology of human behavior, complex social issues, personal experiences, and the latest trends. I’m a wife and a Mom of three.
